Credit Kekeli K. Blamey
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has raised alarm over what he describes as growing political hypocrisy threatening the independence of Ghana’s judiciary.
Reacting to recent protests led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its affiliates against the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Justice Atuguba called for a more principled approach to the rule of law, warning that selective outrage undermines democratic accountability.
The protest, held in Accra on May 5, accused President John Dramani Mahama of political interference in the judiciary and demanded the Chief Justice’s reinstatement.
But Justice Atuguba questioned the sincerity of such concerns, pointing to the NPP’s own record in office.
“How did they behave when they held power? Were they champions of judicial independence or did they benefit from silence when the courts were under scrutiny?” he asked.
Justice Atuguba also referenced the public’s perception of judicial bias during the NPP’s tenure, citing the popular label “Unanimous FC” for the Supreme Court — a phrase that trended widely during high-profile political cases.
“Was that President Mahama’s doing? Did the NPP take any steps to address such sentiments while in government?” he added.
He lamented the absence of public interest as a guiding principle in political discourse, stressing that partisan battles over judicial processes risk eroding public trust in state institutions.
